In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth contemplates murdering his king and friend, Duncan. Not long after a vicious battle, Macbeth receives a prophecy from three witches and he is told that he will assume the throne. Their prediction encourages Macbeth to act upon is secret desire to obtain the throne, as does his insistent wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth must make a choice to pursue his desires but his thoughts revolve around the consequences of committing the crime. Clearly, throughout his soliloquy, Macbeth uses g metaphors and euphemisms as he shifts between considering the consequences of killing King Duncan to uncertainty, to resolving that he cannot kill his friend.
Macbeth understands that there are consequences involved with killing Duncan and as he begins to contemplate the murder, his first thoughts detail these consequences. Duncan. Macbeth feels that he can avoid the penalty of murdering Duncan if "it [is] done quickly," and then he can "trammel up" the consequences.
Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.
Macbeth Consulting the Vision of the Armed Head. B...
English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...In understanding how horrific his plan is, Macbeth cannot even bring himself to say what this dreadful sin really is. Macbeth fantasizes the ideal situation with images of a net seizing every thing its path, seizing even the evidence of his proposed murder. He continues with the favorable illusion that with Duncan's "surcease success" would immediately follow. Macbeth uses images of life and after-life to show that he is only concerned with what will happen "here," and wants to "jump the life to come." Although he does not only consider the unfavorable consequences, Macbeth uses spiritual images to note that his soul will receive judgment. However, he is not concerned with eternal condemnation, rather he wants to put aside such thoughts and focus on his earthly success. To further complicate the situation Macbeth recognizes that there is still "judgment here," recognizing that there...